Bank for International Settlements (BIS), “International Banking and Financial Market Developments”, Quarterly Review, March 2014 The retrenchment from emerging market economies resumed in full force around the turn of the year, as their subdued growth outlook continued to diverge from the optimistic sentiment in mature markets and as US monetary policy reduced the flow of easy money. Investors were also unsettled by signs of economic weakening and growing financial risks …Read More
Monetary Developments in the Euro Area, January 2014
European Central Bank (2014), “Monetary Developments in the Euro Area, January 2014”, Press Release, February. The annual growth rate of the broad monetary aggregate M3 increased to 1.2% in January 2014, from 1.0% in December 2013. The three-month average of the annual growth rates of M3 in the period from November 2013 to January 2014 stood at 1.2%, compared with 1.3% in the period from October 2013 to December 2013. Relevant …Read More
European Vacancy Monitor No 12
European Commission (2014), European Vacancy Monitor No 12, Brussels The European Vacancy Monitor is published quarterly by DG Employment, Social Affairs & Inclusion of the European Commission. This is a publication within the Europe 2020 flagship initiative ‘An Agenda for New Skills and Jobs’ feeding into the ‘European Skills Panorama’. Neither the European Commission nor any person acting on behalf of the Commission may be held responsible for the use that may …Read More
Economic Policy Reforms 2014
OECD, (2014), “Economic Policy Reforms 2014”, Going for Growth Interim Report, February. Going for Growth is the OECD’s regular report on structural reforms in policy areas that have been identified as priorities to boost incomes in OECD and major non-OECD countries (Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, Russia and South Africa). Policy priorities are updated every two years and presented in a full report, which includes individual country notes with detailed policy …Read More
Economic Challenges and Policy Recommendations for the Euro Area
OECD, (2014), “Economic Challenges and Policy Recommendations for the Euro Area”, OECD Better Policies Series, February. Following a major crisis that has caused wide-spread unemployment in many countries, a certain degree of optimism is returning to the euro area. GDP growth in the region is slow but positive, signaling the exit from the recession. Financial market conditions are also showing signs of improvement and foreign investors are returning to the battered …Read More
Monthly Bulletin
European Central Bank, (2014), Monthly Bulletin, February. Based on its regular economic and monetary analyses, the Governing Council decided at its meeting on 6 February to keep the key ECB interest rates unchanged. Incoming information confirms that the moderate recovery of the euro area economy is proceeding in line with the Governing Council’s previous assessment. At the same time, underlying price pressures in the euro area remain weak and monetary and credit dynamics are …Read More
Evaluation of the impact of the free movement of EU citizens at local level
European Commission, (2014), “Free Movement: European Commission publishes study on integration of mobile EU citizens in six cities”, 11 February. EU citizens go to other EU countries mainly for job opportunities and are on average younger and more likely to be working. This is confirmed by a new, independent study on the impact of the right to move freely within the EU which was published today. The study focuses on …Read More
Energy Economic Developments in Europe
European Commission, (2014), “Energy Economic Developments in Europe”, European Economy, 1/2014. In recent years, the EU has set an ambitious agenda to foster the transition to low carbon economies. The Climate and Energy Package adopted in late 2008 sets an EU-wide 20% greenhouse gas emission reduction target for the 27 Member States by 2020, 20 % share of energy from renewable sources in EU gross energy consumption by 2020 and …Read More
EU Anti-Corruption Report
European Commission, (2014), “EU Anti-Corruption Report”, COM (2014) 38 final. Corruption continues to be a big challenge for Europe – a phenomenon that costs the EU economy around 120 billion euros per year. Europeans are deeply worried about corruption – 76% of them believe that corruption is widespread according to a recent Eurobarometer survey.
Working for the Few
Oxfam, (2014), “Working for the Few”, 178 Oxfam Briefing Paper, 20 January Economic inequality is rapidly increasing in the majority of countries. The wealth of the world is divided in two: almost half going to the richest one percent; the other half to the remaining 99 percent. The World Economic Forum has identified this as a major risk to human progress. Extreme economic inequality and political capture are too often …Read More